Skip to content
This commit does not belong to any branch on this repository, and may belong to a fork outside of the repository.

Commit 3261a53

Browse files
committedApr 5, 2025·
Add Millers Law in UX Psychology
1 parent 778865c commit 3261a53

File tree

1 file changed

+40
-0
lines changed

1 file changed

+40
-0
lines changed
 
Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
1+
---
2+
Title: 'Millers Law'
3+
Description: 'Millers Law asserts that the average person can hold about seven (plus or minus two) items in their working memory, highlighting the importance of organising information into manageable chunks to enhance comprehension and recall.'
4+
Subjects:
5+
- 'Computer Science'
6+
- 'Web Design'
7+
Tags:
8+
- 'Design'
9+
- 'UI'
10+
- 'UX'
11+
CatalogContent:
12+
- 'intro-to-ui-ux'
13+
- 'paths/front-end-engineer-career-path'
14+
---
15+
16+
**Miller’s Law**, proposed by cognitive psychologist George A. Miller, states that the average person can only hold about seven items in their working memory at one time — give or take two. This insight into our cognitive limits forms the basis for designing clearer communication, better user interfaces, and more digestible information structures.
17+
18+
The concept of ‘chunking’ stems from this principle: grouping individual elements into larger, meaningful units helps people retain more information. This technique is widely used in education, design, and communication to reduce cognitive load and improve memory.
19+
20+
## Example
21+
22+
A classic example is how phone numbers are formatted. Instead of writing all digits in a continuous string like 07987654321, we break it up into chunks: 07987 654 321. This makes it easier to remember and recall.
23+
24+
Similarly, menus or options grouped into categories in software interfaces are easier to navigate.
25+
26+
### Why Miller’s Law Matters
27+
28+
Acknowledging the limits of human memory allows us to create systems and content that don’t overload users. Organising information into digestible segments enhances understanding, maintains interest, and boosts usability — whether in websites, presentations, or educational settings.
29+
30+
### Common Applications
31+
32+
Educational content is often divided into modules or lessons with no more than 5–9 core points at a time. In UX design, navigation menus, settings, or forms are grouped sensibly to align with how users process information. Even visual layouts benefit from this principle, reducing clutter and making interfaces feel intuitive.
33+
34+
### Exceptions & When to Innovate
35+
36+
Some advanced users or specialised contexts may allow for more complexity. Experts can handle larger amounts of information due to domain familiarity and practiced chunking strategies. Still, even for expert systems, applying Miller’s Law can streamline onboarding and improve clarity.
37+
38+
## Resources
39+
40+
- [UX Laws – Miller’s Law](https://lawsofux.com/millers-law/)

0 commit comments

Comments
 (0)
Please sign in to comment.